Plugin: DVB Decrypter & Card Client

[routerunner]

Hi,

someone very kind gave a donation to the project last night, unfortunately he/she didn't left the email address and the STV server MAC address so that I can generate the license file to enable the parallel mode.

Whoever you are, please send me a PM with those two information and I will promptly generate the file and send it to your email address.

Many thanks for contributing to the project

Eddy

[Fredo44]

Rhat was me ....i used mobilephone-app to donate.

[routerunner]

Does the plugin support Conax cards? They are mostly used in the Nordic countries.
Also does it support Phoenix card readers?
And do you plan on making this plugin available on SageTV V9?

I've received the above private message and thought to share the answers as they might help someone else.

1. Conax cards?
   - Mediaguard, Viaccess, Videoguard and Nagravision are supported and working properly.
   - Irdeto, Conax, Cryptoworks, Betacrypt, Dre-Crypt and Bulcrypt are also supported, but not tested, so they might not work properly.
2. Phoenix card reader?
   - The Windows OSCAM build provided supports all current card readers and protocols along with PCSC and SSL.
3. STV v9 support?
   - As far as I know there are no changes required in order to make this plugin working with STV v9, however I do have plans to remove the Java part of the plugin, by modifying the current STV TS Splitter, but I have no time-scale at the moment and when/if will happen it will be completely transparent to the user.

Hope it helps
Eddy

[starfire]

I'm running STV V9 for the new youtube plugin and no issues with the decrypter or anything else.

[syrel]

Hi everyone

This looks like a useful plugin but it has been a very steep learning curve for me, and I have one issue I can't resolve. Perhaps someone has a similar setup and can offer advice?

I have two readers set up in oscam.server. Both work individually. One of them is for CAID 0963 and one of them is for CAID 0960. I have a number of channels that are available on both CAIDs but I can only decrypt them on one or the other. The problem I have is that the plugin gets 'stuck' on the first CAID and, if no decryption key is available, returns an error ('rejected group, no matching reader'). It never looks for the CAID on the second reader, it assumes that the channel is only available on the initial CAID.

Not sure if I've explained that clearly, let me try to explain in practice. Let's assume two channels A (1234) and B (5678). Both are broadcast on 0960 and 0963, but I can only decrypt A on 0960 and B on 0963.

If my server file has the 0960 reader listed first:
- I select channel A first and it decodes
- I select channel B but oscam only looks for 0960:1234 and returns an error.

If I change the order of the readers in the server file (so that 0963 is first) and reload readers using the web interface neither CAID will decode - it now looks for channel A on 0963 and can't find a matching reader and, while it now looks for Channel B on 0963, it rejects that too as the 0960 reader is the first one in my server file.

The only solution I have at the moment is to change the order of server file, restart oscam and restart the sage server if I want to watch a programme on a different CAID, which is obviously not ideal. My guess is that a) either the plugin insists that the channel must be on the same CAID, which I find unlikely or (I hope) b) there is a simple setting in oscam that I'm missing. Can anyone help?

thanks

syrel

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by syrel

Hi everyone

This looks like a useful plugin but it has been a very steep learning curve for me, and I have one issue I can't resolve. Perhaps someone has a similar setup and can offer advice?

I have two readers set up in oscam.server. Both work individually. One of them is for CAID 0963 and one of them is for CAID 0960. I have a number of channels that are available on both CAIDs but I can only decrypt them on one or the other. The problem I have is that the plugin gets 'stuck' on the first CAID and, if no decryption key is available, returns an error ('rejected group, no matching reader'). It never looks for the CAID on the second reader, it assumes that the channel is only available on the initial CAID.

Not sure if I've explained that clearly, let me try to explain in practice. Let's assume two channels A (1234) and B (5678). Both are broadcast on 0960 and 0963, but I can only decrypt A on 0960 and B on 0963.

If my server file has the 0960 reader listed first:
- I select channel A first and it decodes
- I select channel B but oscam only looks for 0960:1234 and returns an error.

If I change the order of the readers in the server file (so that 0963 is first) and reload readers using the web interface neither CAID will decode - it now looks for channel A on 0963 and can't find a matching reader and, while it now looks for Channel B on 0963, it rejects that too as the 0960 reader is the first one in my server file.

The only solution I have at the moment is to change the order of server file, restart oscam and restart the sage server if I want to watch a programme on a different CAID, which is obviously not ideal. My guess is that a) either the plugin insists that the channel must be on the same CAID, which I find unlikely or (I hope) b) there is a simple setting in oscam that I'm missing. Can anyone help?

thanks

syrel

In these circumstances the "group" value is the key factor. The filter will choose the right OsCAM user account based on the required CAID for the tuned channel which in turn will determine the right reader with the associated group.

In your case, having two card readers with two different CAID the card readers in the oscam.server should look like:

[reader1]
...
...
caid = 0963
group = 1
...
...

[reader2]
...
...
caid = 0960
group = 2
...
...

Assuming you have two tuners the plugin will then generate four OsCAM accounts, two for group 1 and two for group 2. If you look into the auto-generated oscam.user file you will notice that scheme in the username and password for each user STV<U/P> + Tuner + Group.

Only identical CAID readers can share the same group and OsCAM will perform automatic load balancing, however the filter doesn't support that, so every card must have it own unique group. Now the problem is when you are trying to tune two channels with the same CAID, because OsCAM will attempt to use the same reader and that is not allowed by card sharing services, well almost all of them, however what you could try is to declare both CAID on both readers, like that:

[reader1]
...
...
caid = 0960, 0963
group = 1
...
...

[reader2]
...
...
caid = 0963, 0960
group = 2
...
...

so in theory OsCAM should pick-up the other not used reader, but I haven't tried myself...

Hope it helps

Eddy

[syrel]

Hi Eddy,

Thanks for your reply, but changing the group setting of the second reader did not help. I think it actually made things worse, as everything tried to decode using 0960 even if reader 1 was CAID 0963 (didn't have chance to check thoroughly though).

Originally Posted by routerunner

The filter will choose the right OsCAM user account based on the required CAID for the tuned channel which in turn will determine the right reader with the associated group.

How does the filter decide which is the required CAID? If a channel is available on both 0960 and 0963 but I can only decode it on 0963, I need to find a way either to a) tell the filter/oscam that it should only use 0963 for that channel or b) tell filter/oscam that if 0960 didn't work, it should also check 0963.

To clarify - I am only ever trying to tune one channel at a time.


syrel

[syrel]

A second problem has occurred while I was fiddling around this morning - having changed my server file back to what it was when I started, now the plugin will not create any user files. I've tried restarting oscam, sage server and the pc several times, but no user file is created. How can I force the plugin to create a file?

syrel

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by syrel

How does the filter decide which is the required CAID? If a channel is available on both 0960 and 0963 but I can only decode it on 0963, I need to find a way either to a) tell the filter/oscam that it should only use 0963 for that channel or b) tell filter/oscam that if 0960 didn't work, it should also check 0963.

When you tune into a channel, the filter reads the various DVB tables and correlates all the information including the CAID. When multiple CAID are available the filter chooses the one matching the card reader configured in the oscam.server and uses that CAID for the whole recording session. When changing channel the whole process is repeated. You can see this in the DVBDCC-Tuner-xx.log.

Originally Posted by syrel

To clarify - I am only ever trying to tune one channel at a time.

If you have only one tuner, then your best option could be to use one reader only but declaring both CAID like that:

...
...
caid = 0960, 0963
group = 1
...
...

that should work, if not then there might be a bug in the filter that I need to investigate with your help.

Eddy

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by syrel

A second problem has occurred while I was fiddling around this morning - having changed my server file back to what it was when I started, now the plugin will not create any user files. I've tried restarting oscam, sage server and the pc several times, but no user file is created. How can I force the plugin to create a file?

No you can't force it. If the oscam.user is not generated is because there is an error in the oscam.server, please look into the DVBDCC-Tuner-xx.log for more information.

Eddy

[syrel]

Originally Posted by routerunner

If you have only one tuner, then your best option could be to use one reader only but declaring both CAID like that:

I can't do that, unfortunately, as the two readers have different settings.

(and, further clarification in case it matters, I have more than one tuner, it's just that only one of them can access the encrypted channels, hence I never tune more than one channel at a time).

syrel

[syrel]

Originally Posted by routerunner

No you can't force it. If the oscam.user is not generated is because there is an error in the oscam.server, please look into the DVBDCC-Tuner-xx.log for more information.

Eddy

Thanks, sorted that.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by syrel

I can't do that, unfortunately, as the two readers have different settings.

(and, further clarification in case it matters, I have more than one tuner, it's just that only one of them can access the encrypted channels, hence I never tune more than one channel at a time).

syrel

Oh, I see. Well, I could do an experiment by relaxing the strict group unique rule, so that you can declare both readers with the same group and OsCAM should decide which reader to use autonomously.

I'll think about it and check other implications. I will provide a beta filter for you to try, but please don't hold your breath as I'm very busy at the moment with limited time

Eddy

[syrel]

OK, thanks Eddy, appreciate it. In the meantime, it sounds like there is nothing I can do to resolve this, so I should stop fiddling - is that right?

syrel

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by syrel

OK, thanks Eddy, appreciate it. In the meantime, it sounds like there is nothing I can do to resolve this, so I should stop fiddling - is that right?

syrel

Well, you can send me you oscam.server by email for start, so that I can have a look, just in case, but yes I think that for the time being there is nothing else you can do, unless someone will step in for suggestions. I have plenty of users in the UK and it strikes me that none of them have reported a similar issue, unless they have and not telling me?

Eddy

[routerunner]

I've been working on the next generation of the filter v1.3.0.0 trying to improve and overcome to some of the limitations of v1.2.x.x with the hope that the project would be more useful to a wider audience.

I've modified both the DirectShow filter and the Java plugin, but the OsCAM distribution is still the same.

• Unlimited number of local/remote card readers with support of unique, multiple or same CAID, just add any reader with a unique group number.
• Automatic dynamic card reader allocation for each tuner to evenly balance cards usage.
• The oscam.user file gets only regenerated after modification to oscam.server, otherwise left untouched allowing users to add other personal accounts not related to STV, also no need to restart OsCAM server any more.
• Improved encrypted channels tuning speed. Typically 2/3 seconds from pressing the play button on a program from EPG to watching.
• New and improved tuner identification algorithm, this works in conjunction with the Java plugin.
• Channel scan support.
• Improved installation and registering of the filter from Windows 7 (32/64) onwards.

This is a beta version so problems might happen, but I need real life users in order to test properly in particular with different card reader combination. Also please do not use with STV v9 as at this stage I don't want/need to introduce/identify more problems than anticipated

If interested, just drop PM me with your email address and I'll reply with a zip and some instruction.

Cheers
Eddy

[routerunner]

I was wondering whether anyone would be interested to see this software working on Linux as well?

At the moment the software is provided as a DirectShow filter which is a Windows technology, but it could be turned into a separate shared library that might be integrated into the OS version of STV.

Think about it and please let me know, if I gather enough interest I might look into it at some point.

Cheers
Eddy

[DIBU]

Originally Posted by routerunner

I was wondering whether anyone would be interested to see this software working on Linux as well?

At the moment the software is provided as a DirectShow filter which is a Windows technology, but it could be turned into a separate shared library that might be integrated into the OS version of STV.

Think about it and please let me know, if I gather enough interest I might look into it at some point.

Cheers
Eddy

Nice but i have Windows and you tool will work very well here. thanks a lot

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by routerunner

I was wondering whether anyone would be interested to see this software working on Linux as well?

At the moment the software is provided as a DirectShow filter which is a Windows technology, but it could be turned into a separate shared library that might be integrated into the OS version of STV.

Think about it and please let me know, if I gather enough interest I might look into it at some point.

Cheers
Eddy

I guess, I'd be interested to know more about how this would work, and what would be required to use it.

[syrel]

Originally Posted by routerunner

I was wondering whether anyone would be interested to see this software working on Linux as well?

At the moment the software is provided as a DirectShow filter which is a Windows technology, but it could be turned into a separate shared library that might be integrated into the OS version of STV.

Think about it and please let me know, if I gather enough interest I might look into it at some point.

Cheers
Eddy

Hi Eddy

I'm strictly Windows-only, so wouldn't be of use to me. Glad to see you're still engaged with the project though!

syrel